The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible (119 page)

7
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ounces dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), chopped

11 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large eggs, separated

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₃
cup All Natural SomerSweet or sugar

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cup whole wheat pastry flour

CUPCAKES

6 ounces dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), chopped

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cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

For the cake:
Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler (or in a bowl or smaller saucepan placed over a saucepan of boiling water). Set aside to cool.

Beat the egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Slowly add the All Natural SomerSweet and continue beating until mixture is pale yellow. Fold in the melted chocolate. Sift the flour over the chocolate mixture until it just disappears.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in two parts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the ganache:
Place the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Place the cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the hot cream to the chocolate and stir until all lumps are gone. Let the ganache stand until it reaches room temperature, then pour it over the cooled cake and spread with a spatula.

SERVES 6 TO 8

chocolate mint leaves

INSULIN TRIGGERS
LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

6 ounces dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)

30 fresh mint leaves with leaf stems, cleaned and dry

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering hot water, stirring constantly, making sure the chocolate does not get too warm. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue to stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth as silk.

Place a piece of parchment or waxed paper on a cookie sheet. Place a rolling pin, covered with parchment, on the paper.

Take a mint leaf by its stem and dip it into the chocolate. Place the leaf on the rolling pin to dry. Be sure you coat both sides of the mint leaf, then brush the stem with chocolate. Putting it on a rolling pin causes the leaf to dry with a natural curl to it. Complete these steps with the remainder of the chocolate.

Place the leaves into the freezer to set. When dry and frozen, put them in an airtight container and use as needed. They keep well for 1 week.

MAKES ABOUT 30 LEAVES

almond chocolate torte

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, CARBOHYDRATES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
LEVEL 2

1½ cups whole blanched almonds

8 ounces dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), broken into pieces

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup All Natural SomerSweet or sugar

6 large eggs, separated

Perfectly Whipped Cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch round springform pan. Line the bottom with buttered waxed paper.

Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the chocolate and pulse until the mixture is uniformly ground.

Cream the butter and All Natural SomerSweet together with an electric mixer until light and pale. Add the egg yolks one by one, mixing well between each addition. Then add the chocolate and nut mixture, blending until just combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Using a spatula, fold one-fourth of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with large circular motions. Now take this chocolate mixture and fold it into the remaining egg whites.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Release the springform, slice, and serve with whipped cream.

SERVES 8 TO 10

raspberry meringue cake

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, FRUIT
LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

9 egg whites (about 1 cup), at room temperature

1½ cups All Natural SomerSweet or sugar